UI/UX Designer

Spektrum have a wide range of exciting opportunities in several global locations.

We are always looking to add great new talent to our team and look forward to hearing from you.

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who We Are Supporting

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.
  
  

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role ID – 2025-0320

Role Background

The NATO Communications and Information Academy (NCI Academy) offers training on both static and deployed NATO communication and information systems (CIS). This includes Consultation, Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), as well as cyber security and cyber defence. Moreover, the NCI Academy plays an instrumental role in designing, developing and rolling out new learning solutions. This is achieved through comprehensive analysis of training requirements and by leveraging cutting-edge learning technologies.

The NCI Academy also provides a range of education and training services through its Academy Learning Environment (ALE). The ALE governs and strategically coordinates the systems and infrastructure that deliver training, including the Learning Management System (Moodle), the Training Management System (TMS), the Ticketing System (JIRA), the Adaptive Learning Platform, the Training Landing Zone (TLZ), and the NCI Academy Catalogue. These systems support multiple delivery methods, such as classroom training, mobile training, Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT), and self-paced training.

To improve usability, accessibility, and user satisfaction, the NCI Academy is outsourcing UI/UX and web design services to ensure user-centred design, consistent user interfaces, and improved usability across these systems. The Contractor will work in close coordination with, and report to, the Academy Technical Capability (TeC) Team.

The services under this SOW shall be delivered exclusively on-site at the NCI Academy premises in Oeiras, Portugal. Remote work or delivery from other locations is not permitted.

Role Duties And Responsibilities

• User-Centred Design: Create designs based on user requirements and behaviour, ensuring usability and accessibility.
• UX Research and Testing: Conduct user research and usability testing to analyse and predict user behaviour, providing actionable insights.
• Design Standards: Develop and maintain style guides, design systems, and reusable patterns to ensure a consistent user experience across ALE systems.
• Interface Design and Implementation: Produce user flows, wireframes, prototypes, and mock-ups, and deliver integration-ready UI outputs (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) so that development teams can implement directly.
• Implementable Deliverables: Translate design outputs into integration-ready artefacts (e.g., HTML/CSS templates, style sheets, or other exportable formats) to minimise rework by development teams and enable smooth implementation in target systems such as Moodle or TMS, etc.
• Graphic Design: Create original graphic assets (e.g., images, icons, sketches, and tables) to support the user experience.
• UI Testing: Conduct testing of UI elements such as call-to-action buttons, banners, page layouts, flows, and links for landing pages.
• Problem Resolution: Identify and troubleshoot UX-related issues (e.g., responsiveness, accessibility, consistency).
• Continuous Improvement: Incorporate customer feedback, usage metrics, and usability findings into design iterations to continually improve user experience.
  
  

Essential Skills, Experience And Certifications

• User-Centred Approach:
• Ability to understand and influence requirements in order to positively impact the user experience.
• UI/UX Design Expertise:
  

Proven knowledge and hands-on experience in UI/UX design for digital products and services.

• Multi-Platform Design:
• Familiarity with UI/UX design for both web and mobile platforms.
• Moodle Customisation:
• Proven ability to customise and tailor the Moodle interface by using appropriate programming languages (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript), including dynamic adaptation of content and styling upon image upload.
• JIRA Design and Customisation:
• Recent hands-on experience in designing and customizing JIRA interfaces, workflows, and dashboards to improve usability and user experience.
• Technical Tools and Technologies:
• Proficiency with industry-standard design tools and technologies, including:
• Sketch, InVision, Visio
• Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, XD)
• HTML, CSS (SCSS)
• iOS and Android design principles
• Design Systems and component-based design
• Implementable Deliverables:
• Ability to deliver both design artefacts (wireframes, prototypes, mock-ups) and integration-ready outputs (HTML/CSS templates, style sheets, exportable components).
• Collaboration:
• Strong communication skills in English (written and spoken), with the ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams and liaise with developers, system owners, and stakeholders.
• Usability Testing:
• Experience in conducting user research and usability testing, and in translating findings into design improvements.
  

Working Location

• Oeiras, Portugal
  
  

Working Policy

• Onsite
  
  

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required
  
  

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance
  
  

We never know what new opportunities might be just over the horizon. If this opportunity isn't for you please feel free to send us your resume anyway and be the first to know if something suitable for your skills and experience comes up.